Tuesday, March 24

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Hello from sunny Florida, where we’ve reached the halfway point of Spring Training games for 2026. It seemed like a good time to dip into the mailbag, so here are some questions and answers as we hit the back half of camp. 

Hey Matthew! Who is your dark horse pick to make the team right out of camp? Last year, you could argue it was Mickey Gasper or DaShawn Keirsey. Do you see anyone this year that isn't on our radar that could or should make it?

I think first I’d say that I haven’t seen an equivalent of Gasper in this year’s camp. By this time last year, Gasper had gone from, “Oh, what an interesting story,” to, “You know, I think we should be taking this guy seriously.” And I don’t know that I’ve seen someone who fits that profile yet.

I do think the bench is less settled than maybe I figured coming into camp, with guys like Eric Wagaman, Orlando Arcia and Tristan Gray being taken seriously and earning more opportunities.

On the pitching side, I’m intrigued by prospect John Klein. He’s been a fast riser, he throws hard, and though he’s been a starter for most of his career, he may have a future in relief, sooner than later.

But let’s go with Zak Kent, the recent waiver acquisition from the Cardinals. He’s on the 40-man and he’s shown an ability to miss bats, with a K-rate over 30 percent in Triple-A last year. 

What type of additions are they still potentially looking to make? An arm like [Zack] Littell maybe? Another reliever possibly? Trading one of [Trevor] Larnach or [Matt] Wallner (or both?) Thanks! 

By far the most likely addition is a right-handed reliever. They don’t like any of the available free-agent starters more than what they currently have, and while I wouldn’t be shocked to see them trade for a depth starter, the much more pressing need is relief. I’ll honestly be surprised if we get to Opening Day and the Twins have not added a right-hander to their bullpen.

As for subtractions, yes, I do think if they could get value for one of those guys it would make a lot of sense. There’s a roster clog among left-handed-hitting outfield/DH types, and you could assemble a roster that made a lot more sense if you were to move one of them. 

Is Dan Altavilla going to make the Opening Day bullpen?  

I definitely wouldn’t rule it out. I have six spots more or less spoken for right now: Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda and Andrew Chafin on the left side, and Cole Sands, Justin Topa and Eric Orze on the right side. I think that leaves two right-handed spots.

I know they’d love for Liam Hendriks to claim one of them, and it’s fair to say Hendriks expects to do so. But it’s a matter of what he shows over the next 2 1/2 weeks. Then there’s Travis Adams, and I like his chances because somebody has to give innings. If Hendriks and Adams are both on, of course, that means no Altavilla.

But Altavilla has looked quite good and has some of the best stuff among the various contenders, so if there is an opening, then he and (see above) Kent are, I think, the leading candidates. 

I've never made it down for Spring Training. For future planning, do you think it is best to go there at the beginning, middle or end of camp? 

I think the ideal time is right around the beginning of games, though really it depends on what you want to see. If you’re there at the very beginning, the days are short and the vibe is pretty casual. It’s fun but you don’t see any, you know, games. By the end of camp, the best players are playing for longer, and so it’s more like the regular season, but maybe in that case you just want to see regular season games? 

But at the beginning of games, you still have more chance to see somebody throw on a back field, to see fun stuff in the workouts, while still seeing games. Plus, top prospects often get sent out early, so if you want to see those guys, you don’t want to wait too long. 

Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch in Team USA’s World Baseball Classic opener, but he seems to be just fine. Buxton was removed with a big lead after being hit on the arm. Manager Mark DeRosa was asked about Buxton after the game and indicated minimal concern.

“He got hit on the forearm,” DeRosa said. “X-rays are fine. Just caught him in the meat of his forearm. I just felt [with us leading] 7-1 at the time, get [Pete Crow-Armstrong] in there, get him off his feet and get him right.” 

Y’all be kind and look out for each other, OK? 

• Neneh Cherry, “Buffalo Stance” 

• Technotronic, “This Beat Is Technotronic” 

• M/A/R/R/S, “Pump Up The Volume” 

• Deee-Lite, “Groove Is In The Heart” 

• George Michael, “Freedom! ‘90” 

To subscribe to Twins Beat, visit this page and mark "Twins Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Twins or that they're checked as your favorite team.

View Online

© 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Please review our Privacy Policy.

You (mlb-newsletters@mlb.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages or purchased a ticket from MLB. 

Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions.

Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.